


Build-A-Flash

by sophisticatedloserchick



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, West-Allen Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 12:26:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11897706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophisticatedloserchick/pseuds/sophisticatedloserchick
Summary: Barry and Iris take the Twins to a Build-a-Bear to build their own toy. Problem is the Flash doll option nearly results in the Twins giving away their father’s secret identity.





	Build-A-Flash

Spending Saturday afternoon at a crowded mall was not Iris’s definition of fun.

Spending an afternoon at the mall with three impatient Speedsters with short attention spans was even worse.

But on this particular Saturday Iris needed her whole family to come along. Don needed a hair cut and Dawn needed new shoes and she needed Barry’s help to pick out a birthday present for Cisco. After three hours and getting nowhere Iris abandoned her husband and children at their favorite soft pretzel kiosk to finish the rest of her errands. Iris had learned from years of experience nothing fully occupied a Speedsters’ attention more than food.

Half an hour later Iris found Barry and the Twins sitting on a bench eating pretzels. The stress of running around trying to get errands down melted away when looking at her family.

She watched Barry patiently taking care of their children. A big feat considering at four years old they had become quite a handful. They had inherited Iris’s sense of curiosity along with Barry’s stubbornness which they soon learned was a recipe for trouble. In this moment Iris watched Barry skillfully look after both of the Twins at the same time. Dawn sat on Barry’s knee happily munching on a pretzel being kept from falling over with her dad’s large hand wrapped securely around her side. Barry then used his other free hand to wipe mustard off a squirming Don’s face.

Multi-tasking was an important thing to learn when raising twin speedsters.

“And how are my babies?” Iris asked walking up to her family.

The look of relief on Barry’s face did not escape her.

“A little messy,” Barry sighed out. “I swear every time I wipe away mustard more of it keeps appearing.”

“Daaaaaad stop,” Don’s small hands tried to block Barry’s attempts.

“I want nother pretzel,” Dawn waved up her half eaten pretzel, “Nother pretzel! Nother pretzel!”

“Please help,” Barry whispered to his wife.

Iris laughed while bending down to pull Dawn into her arms. Her daughter giggled happily and wrapped her arms around Iris’s neck. The half-eaten pretzel fell to the ground and completely forgotten about.

“There,” Barry nodded in satisfaction to Don. “You are mustard free champ.”

Don scowled up at his father rubbing his newly cleaned cheeks in annoyance.

“We all done?” Barry stood up from the bench with Don’s hand in his own.

“Yes all done.” Iris nodded. “Did these two behave?”

“Other than a slight argument over the mustard they’ve been angels,” Barry reported.

Iris then smiled conspiratorially to Dawn. “Do you know what that means?”

“Build-a-bear!” Dawn threw her arms up in excitement.

Ever since their Paw-Paw had taken them to Build-a-Bear two weeks ago the Twins could not stop talking about it. Joe would have happily bought his grand-babies each a toy but they got so excited they started to vibrate forcing him to get them out there before anyone noticed. Since the visit the Twins had continually asked their parents if they could go back to build their very own bear or doll.

Now Iris and Barry had no problems buying toys for their children but they weren’t above using it as an incentive to have them behave during the entire mall trip.

Minutes later the family arrived at Build-a-Bear. The store crowded with excitable children running around looking at all the bears and dolls. Stressed out parents following behind trying to keep them in line.

Iris could feel Dawn vibrating in excitement in her arms. She held her daughter a little closer almost afraid Dawn would start speeding up and down the aisles if she let go. Iris turned to see Don had been picked up by Barry who no doubt had the same fear.

Walking inside the store Iris could see why their children were excited. The interior was something out of a child’s dream. Floor to ceiling the store was painted a bright, cheerful yellow. Every where you looked there were large displays of stuffed animals and dolls who came in every size and color you could imagine. The costume choices ranging from princesses to firemen to wizards and to whatever a child would love to see.

Iris barely knew where to start. The amount of selection was overwhelming which made her afraid they’d be stuck here for hours. Or how they would manage to keep the Twins calm enough not to accidentally reveal their Speedster powers.

“Mama look!” Dawn cried out pointed to the left wall. “Its daddy!”

Iris turned to where an entire section of a wall had been dedicated to plush Flash dolls. All of them dressed in bright red costumes and yellow lighting bolts. The details were a little worrisome making Iris almost wonder if Cisco had a hand in the design. There was even a Kid Flash plush doll which had Iris make a mental note for when Wally’s birthday came around.

“Daddy look, look!” Dawn squealed and kicking her legs, “The dolls are wearing your costume.”

“I want one that’s dressed like daddy,” Don added after his sister. “I want a Flash doll.”

At this point their children were starting to draw attention from several parents standing nearby. Their eyes narrowed at them in suspicion. Iris could feel their eyes glance between Barry before moving to the plush dolls dressed up as the Flash.

Oh no, Iris though to herself, this can’t be good.

“What are you talking about sweetie?” Barry said in a louder than normal voice, “Daddy doesn’t look like the Flash doll at all.”

“Yes you do,” Don insisted frowning up at his dad. “That’s your costume.”

Barry and Iris gave strained smiles to the other parents who were giving them curious looks. Both shrugged their shoulders in a way they hoped said ‘oh kids! Aren’t they silly?’ Iris was already trying to think of a escape route. The last thing they needed was for the Twin’s stubbornness to result in them revealing their father’s secret identity.

“Hello, can I help you with anything?”

Iris stomach dropped at the overly polite voice that all those who worked in customer service used. There would be no escaping now. She turned to see a teenage girl with a bright yellow apron with the name 'Stephanie’ on a name tag. Stephanie’s curious gaze moved between the Twins angry pouts to Barry and Iris’s nervous looks.

“Oh no we’re fine. Just browsing,” Iris said in a voice a pitch too high.

“My daddy is the Flash doll,” Dawn interrupted with a pleased grin on her face.

Stephanie turned to look over at Barry whose skin had turned a rather dark shade of red.

“My daughter is a little confused,” Iris laughed awkwardly. “My husband struggles to get to work on time let alone be the fastest man alive.”

Barry gave Iris a hurt look which she ignored because really they had bigger problems at the moment.

“Well okay,” Stephanie said unconvinced. “If you want I can help your kids to pick out their designs for their dolls.”

Hesitantly Barry and Iris set the Twins down on the floor. If nothing else building their toy would distract them exposing their dad as the Flash.

“Now remember you two,” Iris grabbed Dawn and Don’s small hands before they ran off. “No running in the store. You need to take things slow. You both hear me?”

“Yes mama!” The Twins chimed with big grins that crinkled up their faces that reminded Iris exactly of Barry.

It was hard to be stern with her children when they smiled at her like that.

Barry and Iris stayed behind as Stephanie took the Twins to help them make their dolls. Silently Iris prayed the Twins would keep any 'Our daddy is the Flash’ comments to themselves. After watching the Twins become completely focused on the materials they wanted she felt her nerves calm down.

“I think we’re in the clear,” Iris said under her breath to Barry.

After not getting a response Iris turned to see Barry frowning at the Flash dolls on display.

“Bar?” Iris nudged into her husband. “What’s wrong?”

“They got my eyes wrong again,” Barry grumbled. “Why do they always give me blue eyes? Blue eyes are so conventional and boring. Mine are obviously green.”

Iris felt a wave of tiredness wash over her in that moment.

Twenty minutes later the Twins came running back to them, running at a normal speed thankfully, waving their new dolls in the air.

“Look daddy!” Dawn proudly held up her new toy. “My doll is wearing your costume.”

“Mine too, mine too!” Don held up his.

Up close Iris could see her children had picked out dolls that looked like them. The soft plush dolls skin were made from a light brown fabric. Dawn’s doll had a mass of golden brown yawn for hair while Don’s had black yarn cut short for his. The big surprise was seeing both dolls dressed in bright red Flash costume.

Iris turned to see Barry smiling down fondly at his children. She could tell by the softness in his green eyes that he was touched. A special moment when Iris knew Barry wanted nothing more than for his children to see him as a hero.

“Oh wow,” Barry said in a choked voice. “Those are great guys.”

“I agree,” Iris looped her arm through Barry’s. “Looks like I’m going to have competition as the Flash’s biggest fan.”

Iris giggled as red bloomed high across his cheekbones as he smiled bashfully.

The two of them stood there watching their children play with their new dolls. Giggling and running in circles as they waved the dolls in the air making 'whoosing’ sounds. The Twins challenging each other to a race to see which of their doll was the fastest.

“Home?” Iris looked away from their children to gaze up at her husband.

“Home,” He nodded in agreement.


End file.
